Improvement in fastening timbers



vrest of the figures are sections lof opposite side to Fig.

UNITED STATES PATENT tric-n.

IMPROVEMENT IN FAST-ENING TIMBEPLS. y

`Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 43,718, dated August 2, 1864.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that we, HENRY STANLEY andREuBEN Coi/rms, both ofthe city of Troy, in the county of Rensselaer and State of New lYork, have invented a new and improved mode of fastening timbers and other material together longitudinally by use of metallic clamps or other material, either alone or combined, to prevent their separating or pulling asunder when subject to tensive or transverse strain, or both, which is usually known and termed splicing 7 and we hereby declare the following to be a full and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, making a part of this specification, in which- Figure l is a longitudinal elevation.

of Fig. l, showing parts of it on an enlarged scale, Fig. 2 being a longitudinal elevation of a section containing splicing and clamp; Fig. 3, a plan ofsame; Fig. 4, a diagonal cross-section on ww in Fig. 2; Fig. 5, a cross-section through joint a" a in Figs. 2 and 3. Fig. 6 is another longitudinal elevation of a section of splicing and clamp differing slightly in detail from Figs. 2, 3, 4, and 5, but the same in principle and operation; Fig. 7 ,aplan of one side; Fig. 8, a plan 7 5 Fig. 9, a diagonal cross-section on line y y in Fig. 6, and Fig. 10 a cross-section through joint d d in Figs. 6 and 7. Figs. 1l and 12 will be herein subsequently referred to and explained.

Like letters of reference marked on the drawings indicate corresponding parts in Fi gs. l, 2, 3, 4, 5, 1l, and l2, also in Figs. 6, 7, 8,9, and 10.

Parts indicated by letters will first be explained in Figs. 2, 3, fl,` and 5, and are as follows: letters A, timbers or pieces spliced and clamped 5 B, bandsy or clasps to clamps; (l, screw-bolts or ties; D, saddles or bearingpieces, and E saddles'and straining-blocks. In Figs. 6, 7, 8, 9, and 10, letters F, timbers or parts of material joined or spliced; H, clasps or yokes; blocks, and L tie-plate or ties.` But one name will be used to each of the foregoing parts in this description hereinafter.

This invention relates particularly to splic ing bottom chords to trussbridges, tie-beams to truss-roofs, and to truss-frames generally The I, saddles and straining'l where more than one piece in length are required to form the tie part or chords, and for all purposes where it is desired to resist ten# sion by use of two or more pieces in length, also to strengthening beams and of forming them of two pieces abutted together endwise, using the clamps at the' joints, being applicable and useful in all cases to increase their strength and rigidity transversely.

To enable others skilledin the ar-t to make and use our invention, we will proceed to describe its construction and operation.

The timbers or parts to be spliced may be of any desirable dimensions abutted squarely' together endwise, as seen at a a in Figs. 2 and 3, and at d d in Figs. 6 and 7, making aclose or open joint, as may be desirable. A straining'block is placed each side of the joint a a', at a short distance from it, land connected with screw-bolts orties. Upon the opposite sidev from the straining-blocks, and a little farther back from the joint than said blocks, a saddle is put, and around these saddles and blocksthe bands pass, connecting them by surrounding or encompassing them and timbers. This constitutes a single clamp, and the same operation repeated from opposite sides adouble one, as seen in Figs. l, 2, and 3. The straining-blocks and saddles should be so arranged and placed -that the bands that sur round them will pass from one to the other, crossing the' timbers or parts joined and spliced diagonally, forming an angle of about forty-five degrees, (more or less,) and that partv of their surface which comes in contact with. the bands as they pass around themshould be so' formed as to receive them withv a' nat-v ural and easy bend, so as to not impair their strength, and also to keep them in their places on the desired angle, and their opposite surface or sides, which come in contact with and rest upon the pieces spliced, should be made to fit and adhere snugly to them with suflicient bearing-surface to prevent its crushg ing the material upon which it rests, and the straining-blocks should have holes or recesses in them for the ties that connect them, having al proper bearing for the nuts e e to rest against. Bands may be flat, round, or of any other convenient form, and should be so bent and Welded or fastened together as to form a link or clasp that will surround the timbers,

straining-blocks, and saddles, as hereinbefore described, fitting them easily and snugly, or that part of their surface designed to receive and hold them in their places, forming the requisite angle. The tie-rods may be round, flat, or of any other form desirable, made to Y pass through the holes in the straininghlocks, with screw and nut e e on each end or upon one end only, with a head at the other, as may be most convenient and desirable, and one or more of these ties may be used to each clamp, as may be deemed proper. Thus it will be seen that two straining'blocks, two saddles, two claspsor bands, and a tie form a clamp which may be used doubly or singly. Its operation is twofold, a desired effect being producedby two different methods. First, by turning up the nuts e e to the ties, causing a strain to be produced upon them which will bring the whole clamp into effectual operation, thus causing all its parts to act, and by this means it will grip the parts to be held together, having a tendency to draw them nearer each other to any desired position, and

there hold them, and the greater the strain put upon the ties by means of the nuts the firmer the grip, making the clamp more effectual. After having the clamp placed and adjusted, and joint regulated at will, as just described, the second method of operation is by applying tensive strain to the parts spliced, which will also cause a gripping, the same as in the first method, and the greater this force the more effectual is the operation of the clamp inY service, and as it increases the clamp will correspondingly clasp the parts joined or spliced, thereby grasping and adhering to them more firmly, thus securing and holding them more tenaeiously in their proper places, and all parts of the clamp, or, in other words, the greater the tension the more powerful and effectual the grip and clamp-an operation believed to be produced by no other arrangement; and it also operates to increase thastrength of beams and to admit of their being spliced or made of two parts abutted together endwise when subject to transverse strain, as herein elsewhere explained.

We sometimes construct our splice and clamp as seen in Figs. 6, 7, 8, 9, and l0, being the samein operation, principle, and eifect as in the other case, differing only slightly mechanically in some of its details, which are equivalent in their construction, application, and use. Instead of screw-bolts or ties with nuts across joint d d,we use a tie-plate, L L, with shoulders near each end to receive and hold the clasps H H upon one side of pieces,

vF F. The clasps are bent in the middle to pass around tie-plates against the shoulders of them and outside of the timbers, crossing them diagonally to strainingblocks I I on opposite side to plates through which they pass,

having nuts g g to take hold of them, so'the tightening of the clamp and drawing joint together isl performed from nuts on the diagonal y parts or claspsrather than from nuts upon `by means of nuts or similar device.

The saddles and strainingblocks may be made with spurs or ledges, or both, as seen in Figs. l1 and 12, rendering them less liable to move, and in some cases may be slightly inserted into the parts spliced without materially diminishing their strength or tensive power; but this will be found'unnecessary when bands and clasps are placed on a proper angle, as then they will not slide or move, but,

on the contrary, remain more securely and safelyin their respective positions as the tensive force is applied and increased. Any desired angle may be used, but a few degrees less than forty-tive may be found most effectual and useful. Thel cross-section'of the clamp,'subject to tension when only one is used, should be equivalent instrength to that of the available cross-section of parts spliced, taking into consideration the material used in both cases, in order to make the splice as strong as elsewhere, thereby securing the entire tensive capacity of all the material used, which we believe is not accomplished by any other arrangement in use or known, nor very nearly so. When applied double, one-half the cross-section will be required in each clamp that would be requisite if single.

lIt may be obvious to any one skilled in the business that thismode of joining material and applying clam ps-or, in other words, splicing it-is simple and economical.- The joint and splice is easily and cheaply made,

requiring less material than where laps are used; and in cases abutted together, asin this, with wood or metal clamps adopted, the pieces joined are very materially reduced .in

size or-cut away in their cross section to ref ceive the clamp, or for the purpose of attach.: ing it to them, thereby decreasing their tensive power correspondingly, causing serious loss in strength or of material, or both, which is entirely obviated and avoided by this plan and operation, securing substantially all the strength of the material used-or, in other words, preserve its entire cross-section when necessary-making it all available for the purposes for which it is required, and will be as strong at the joint and all` parts of the splice as elsewhere, if the clamp is properly proportioned andv applied; also, it lessens the .lia-

bility of the 4timber todecay, as it has no place to receive and hold water or moisture, being cut in no manner for the clamp, which in other plans is a serious matter, while the clamp itself is simple, easily, quickly, and

cheaply made and applied, all of which may the timbers to be joined in the manner substantially as and for the purposes herein described and set forth.

HENRY STANLEY. REUBEN COMINS.

Witnesses:

GEO. GOULD, A. D. LYON. 

